1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marketing strategy support system for supporting the determination of strategy for business service with regard to one""s own company""s product sold through a number of shops and the determination of a budget amount for each shop and the like. The present invention also relates to a program storage device for storing a program and a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, which enable a computer to function as such a marketing strategy support system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An analysis referred to as product portfolio management (in this specification, referred to as PPM) or business customer portfolio analysis with regard to each business customer, is carried out as a part of traditional marketing strategy.
Here, the xe2x80x9cbusiness customerxe2x80x9d in the present application implies a retail store or shop, a retail trader or dealer, a business connection, a company or juridical person for those and the like, who typically retail, sell, trade or deal with products for the own company (who is to carry out this PPM or business customer portfolio analysis) to thereby retail or sell the products to individual purchasers or end users.
According to this PPM or business customer portfolio analysis, for example, at first, the business customers are ranked by using the manner of ABC analysis, in manual business customer analysis which does not use a personal computer and the like. For example, the most important business customer is ranked as an A rank, an ordinary business customer is ranked as a B rank, and an unimportant business customer is ranked as a C rank. Accordingly, the marketing strategy is carried out in which the business power is distributed depending on such a rank. However, there are objective information and subjective information in the rank. Thus, its reliability is poor, and a personal difference resulting from the ranker is large, which may lead to only a roughly analyzed result.
In recent years, a technique of drawing a business customer portfolio diagram or a scatter diagram has been developed as a technique for business customer analysis using a computer. For example, there is a technique of plotting xe2x80x9cthe gross sales of each business customerxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cthe share of one""s own companyxe2x80x9d as a point having an X-coordinate and a y-coordinate, on a two-dimensional scatter diagram such that the gross sales of the respective business customers are on a Y (vertical) axis and the shares of one""s own company in the respective business customers are on an X (horizontal) axis. Actually, as for the X-coordinate, as a target share of one""s own company X=0, if the share is greater than the target, it is plotted as a positive value. If the share is less than the target, it is plotted as a negative value. As for the Y-coordinate, as the average gross sales Y=0, if the sale is greater than the average, it is plotted as a positive value. If it is less than the average, it is plotted as a negative value. If the thus-obtained scatter diagram is analyzed or evaluated, great importance is attached to which quadrant the point (business customer) plotted on the scatter diagram is located at.
Especially in a displaying method of drawing this type of scatter diagram by using the computer and the like, a graph tool function, such as a spreadsheet software available from the market or the like, is used to draw a number of graphs similar to each other to then analyze while considering them, in many cases. Information data gathered by a salesman or a head office are collectively processed when the process is necessary. The data are updated or changed on the spreadsheet type worksheet if the gathered information data are graphed by changing its extraction condition.
On the other hand, as a part of traditional marketing strategy, a sales target in a next year (hereafter, referred to as a master budget) is determined for each year or each settlement term, and also a budget for each business customer is determined (namely, target sales of one""s own company product in each business customer). For the sake of the determinations, the following manner is typically used in recent years. That is, a computer, an electronic calculating device or the like is used to firstly distribute an entire master budget to each department by using market data and previous achievements data. Then, the breakdown is applied to each department similarly. Actually, for example, the budget calculation in which a database software and a spreadsheet software available from the market are used is carried out by each department in a distribution pattern, such as from a head office to a branch, from a branch to a sub-branch, from a sub-branch to a person in charge and from a person in charge to a business customer. Finally, a budget amount for each business customer is determined by the person in charge for the business customer.
However, according to the conventional technique using the above mentioned scatter diagram, the X-coordinate (namely, the gross sales of each business customer and the like) is calculated from a calculation result of a predetermined item group in order to calculate the X-coordinate. Independently of this calculation, the Y-coordinate (namely, the share of one""s own company for each business customer and the like) is calculated from a calculation result of a predetermined item group in order to calculate the Y-coordinate. That is, the Y-coordinate and the X-coordinate are mutually determined such that the numerals, such as their maximum values, their minimum values, dispersions and the like, have no evident relations or no evident linkages between them. For this reason, there is no index on the scatter diagram which quantitatively indicates to what degree the achievements corresponding to the target have been attained, in accordance with a position of each point plotted on the X-Y coordinates as a result. That is, even if viewing the scatter diagram, there is no index which objectively or quantitatively indicates what degree of business power enables the target to be attained for each business customer corresponding to each point. This results in a problem that such quantitative judgement involving the marketing strategy (for example, what degree of increase or decrease of business power is desirable for attaining the target, with a current condition as a standard) must be made relying on the salesman""s experience and intuition.
Also, according to the conventional technique using the above mentioned scatter diagram, the display format is limited to a range of the graph tool function such as the spreadsheet software or the like. Thus, this results in a problem that its display content cannot be analyzed while the extraction condition and the set condition are changed on the same picture plane and then the scatter diagram is updated. Moreover, the information data gathered by the salesman and the head office are collectively processed when the process is necessary. Thus, a real time process cannot be carried out. For this reason, it is difficult to optionally provide the information or data with regard to markets or business customers, and it is impossible to provide a timely picture plane. Hence, this also results in a problem that it is difficult or impossible to plan the marketing strategy while following the sequentially changing product market.
On the other hand, according to the conventional method of determining the budget for each business customer by using the computer and the like, the budget distribution work is carried out by a plurality of departments, and their manners are also different, which may cause the efficiency to be poor and also disable the standardized distribution. Moreover, the evaluation of business largely depends on the attainment of budget, which results in a problem that the budget distribution lacks fairness. Especially, there is a strong tendency that an index when the budget is distributed depends on previous achievements. Thus, this results in a problem that the budget distribution of using the objective indexes is difficult. Even if the data, such as a population, the number of households and the like, is used as the objective indexes, it is impossible to consider the mobility of business customers beyond an administrative district. Hence, the reliability of the index is inevitably dropped.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a marketing strategy support system which provides objective and quantitative marketing strategy indexes useful for marketing strategy and in which the marketing strategy index can be shared by a plurality of salesmen, and a program storage device for storing a program as well as a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave which enables a computer to function as such a marketing strategy support system.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first marketing strategy support system having a server apparatus and a plurality of client apparatuses which can be connected through a communication device to the server apparatus. The server apparatus is provided with: a first file device for storing business customer sales information indicative of a sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a second file device for storing territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms (e.g., total sales in each area such as prefecture, city , ward, town, village etc., as for all analysis target commodities such as total sales of home electronics commodities, total sales of clothing commodities, total sales of foodstuffs and so on in each area); a third file device for storing own-product-business customer sale information indicative of a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a first calculating device for calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for an analysis are used as a population, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored in the first file device; a second calculating device for calculating a change rate Y2 to a term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored in the second file device as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population; a third calculating device for calculating a sale X1 on an actually sold base corresponding to a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer in accordance with the own-product-business customer sale information stored in the third file device, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d of the sale X1 in each business customer, in which the all business customers are used as a population; a fourth calculating device for calculating a change rate X2 to a term of the sale X1 as an index indicative of a growth of a selling power in each business customer, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d of the change rate X2 in each business customer, in which the all business customers are used as a population; a fifth calculating device for calculating a PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d, and also calculating a PPM parameter X indicative of one""s own company""s strength of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d; a fourth file device for storing the calculated PPM parameters Y and X in correlation with each business customer; and a server side modem for transmitting the PPM parameters Y and X stored in the fourth file device, through the communication device to the client apparatus, in response to a request from the client apparatus. Each of the client apparatuses is provided with: a client side modem for obtaining the PPM parameters Y and X stored in the fourth file device through the communication device and the server side modem; and a display device for displaying a scatter diagram in which the obtained PPM parameters Y and X are plotted on X-Y coordinates.
According to the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, at the server apparatus, the business customer sales information indicative of the sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms (e.g., the last year and two years ago) is stored in the first file device. The territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms (e.g., the public trade statistics last time and that two years ago) is stored in the second file device. The own-product-business customer sale information indicative of the sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms (e.g., each month, each account term) is stored in the third file device.
Then, the deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for the analysis are used as a population, is calculated by the first calculating device, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored in the first file device. The change rate Y2 with respect to the term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored in the second file device (e.g., an annual change rate or an annual growing rate) is calculated by the second calculating device, as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory. At this time, if the territory sales information as for the two consecutive terms is the information for the previous year and two years ago, the growing rate can be simply calculated as the annual change rate between those two. If the territory sales information is two times spanned for several years, it can be calculated with considering the interval between them to thereby convert the change rate for one year. Further, the deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population is calculated by the second calculating device. The sale X1 on the actually sold base corresponding to a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer is calculated by the third calculating device, in accordance with the own-product-business customer sale information stored in the third file device. Further, the deviation value xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d of the sale X1 in each business customer, in which the all business customers are used as a population is calculated by the third calculating device. Incidentally, such a conversion of the sales may be performed on the information indicative of the rough profit such as the average profit of each business customer, may be performed by setting the average rough profit for each business customer, or may be performed by setting a general average rough profit for all. Then, the change rate X2 with respect to the term of the sale X1 is calculated by the fourth calculating device, as an index indicative of a growth of a selling power in each business customer (e.g., the annual change rate or the annual growing rate). Further, the deviation value xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d of the change rate X2 in each business customer, in which the all business customers are used as a population, is calculated by the fourth calculating device. Then, the PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d is calculated by the fifth calculating device. On the other hand, the PPM parameter X indicative of one""s own company""s strength of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d is calculated by the fifth calculating device. Then, those PPM parameters Y and X are stored in the fourth file device in correlation with each business customer. Here, the analysis target business customers may be all business customers who deal with the own company products. Alternatively, some of the business customers may be preferably eliminated from the analysis target which are not suitable for the analysis in the same dimension such as a mail order business or a special style business.
After that, in response to a request from the client side modem equipped in one of the client apparatuses, those PPM parameters Y and X stored in the fourth file device are transmitted by the server side modem and are obtained by the client side modem through the communication device. Then, by the display device equipped in this one of the client apparatus, the scatter diagram, in which the obtained PPM parameters Y and X are plotted on X-Y coordinates, is displayed.
Therefore, when performing the business customer analysis with referring to the scatter diagram, the X axis and the Y axis have an evident relationship with each other, so that the straight line of Y=X becomes the balanced line between the attractiveness of the business customer and the marketing strength of own company. Thus, regardless of the strength or weakness of the attractiveness of the business customer or the marketing strength of own company, such a marketing strategy that the points plotted on the scattered diagram approach this balanced line becomes a very efficient marketing strategy. Consequently, for example, when allocating the marketing resource, which is certainly limited, to a plurality of business customers, by reducing the marketing power for the business customer corresponding to the point plotted near to the X axis than the balanced line and by increasing the marketing power for the business customer corresponding to the point plotted near to the Y axis than the balanced line, it is possible to increases the sales most efficiently by using the limited marketing power by relatively increasing the marketing power in short while relatively reducing the marketing power in excess on the whole.
The parameters Y and X are calculated at the site of the server apparatus. Thus, at the site of each client apparatus, it is possible to just receive the parameters Y and X, which have been calculated, through the communication device such as the wire or wireless communication line, and display the scatter diagram on the basis of the received information. Accordingly, the burden on each client apparatus is quite small, so that it is possible to promptly display the scatter diagram through the communication device at the site of each client apparatus. In addition, since the parameters Y and X which have been once calculated by the server apparatus can be commonly utilized by the client apparatuses, it is possible to improve the usage efficiency of the hardware resources, while it is possible to establish the objective marketing strategy on the basis of the same judgment standard at each client apparatus, which is very advantageous in a practical sense. Especially, it is possible to perform a collective process at the site of the server apparatus, as the sales information etc., is kept to be inputted from the same information source.
In the present invention, the deviation values c and d as for the sale X1, which is not on the wholesale price base but on the actually sold base, and the change rate X2 of the sale X1, which is not on the wholesale price base but on the actually sold base, are obtained. Therefore, it is possible to compare the deviation values a and b in the same dimension as for the sale Y1 for each business customer and the total sales in each territory, which should be essentially on the actually sold base. The relationship and the linkage between the PPM parameter Y and the PPM parameter X can become very precise. However, even if the sale and the change as for the PPM parameter X are on the wholesale price base when obtaining the PPM parameter X, by converting the sale Y1 of each business customer, which should be essentially on the actually sold base, to the value on the wholesale price base and by converting the total sales to the value on the wholesale price base when obtaining the PPM parameter Y, it is also possible to perform such a comparison between the PPM parameters X and Y in the same dimension, so that the relationship and the linkage between the PPM parameter Y and the PPM parameter X can become very precise. Alternatively, without matching the dimension in this manner, the PPM parameter X may be calculated on the wholesale price base while the PPM parameter Y may be calculated on the actually sold base. In this case, it is possible to roughly obtain the relationship and linkage between those two on the scatter diagram while reducing the process burden on the server apparatus.
In one aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, each of the client apparatuses is further provided with an input device for inputting condition data indicative of a condition of specifying the PPM parameters Y and X corresponding to a desirable marketing strategy analysis target among the PPM parameters Y and X stored in the fourth file device. The client side modem transmits the condition data inputted through the input device through the communication device to the server side modem. The server side modem receives the transmitted condition data. The server apparatus is further provided with an extractor for extracting the PPM parameters Y and X meeting the condition represented by the received condition data from the fourth file device. The server side modem transmits the extracted PPM parameters Y and X through the communication device to the client side modem. The display device displays the scatter diagram in accordance with the PPM parameters Y and X received by the client side modem.
According to this aspect, at the site of one of the client apparatuses, the condition data indicative of a condition of specifying the PPM parameters Y and X corresponding to a desirable marketing strategy analysis target is inputted through the input device. Such an input may be performed by a salesman, who wants to make an analysis on a desired territory, a desired business customer group, a desired time and the like, as the occasion demands. Then, this condition data inputted through the input device is transmitted by the client side modem through the communication device to the server side modem. The server side modem receives the transmitted condition data. Then, at the site of the server apparatus, this condition data is received by the server side modem. Then, the PPM parameters Y and X meeting the condition represented by the received condition data are extracted by the extracting device from the fourth file device. Then, the extracted PPM parameters Y and X are transmitted by the server side modem through the communication device to the client side modem. By receiving this, the scatter diagram is displayed by the display device in accordance with the PPM parameters Y and X received by the client side modem.
Therefore, by appropriately changing the condition specifying the PPM parameters to be analyzed for the marketing strategy, it is possible to very easily and promptly display the scatter diagram as for the product group or the business customer group, or as for the territory or the time, which is very convenient.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, at least one of the server apparatus and the plurality of client apparatuses is further provided with a setting device for setting at least one of a configuration ratio of the weighted average when the PPM parameter Y is calculated and a configuration ratio of the weighted average when the PPM parameter X is calculated.
According to this aspect, by the setting device which is equipped in at least one of the server apparatus and the plurality of client apparatuses, the configuration ratio of the weighted average can be changed when the PPM parameter Y is calculated. For example, it is possible to display a scatter diagram with attaching the importance onto the marketing power of each business customer or a scatter diagram with attaching the importance onto the growing rate of each business customer according to the intention of the operator. Further, the configuration ratio of the weighted average can be changed when the PPM parameter X is calculated. For example, it is possible to display a scatter diagram with attaching the importance onto the marketing power of own company at each business customer or a scatter diagram with attaching the importance onto the growing rate of own company at each business customer according to the intention of the operator.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, the display device displays the scatter diagram in the scales respectively corresponding to the maximum values and the minimum values of the received PPM parameters Y and X.
According to this aspect, since the scatter diagram can be displayed by the display device in the scales respectively corresponding to the maximum values and the minimum values of the received PPM parameters Y and X, it is possible for the operator to automatically see the scatter diagram which is easy to see without the necessity of setting the scales at the client apparatus.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, each of the plurality of client apparatuses is further provided with a specifying device for specifying an indication range of the scatter diagram.
According to this aspect, it is possible to see the portion, where the operator wants to carefully see, with magnifying it as the operator at the client apparatus specifies the indication range by the specifying device.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, when obtaining at least one of the business customer sales information, the territory sales information and the own-product-business customer sale information which are respectively stored in the first, second and third file devices through the communication device, the display device displays the obtained information together with a name of a business customer corresponding to the obtained information in a predetermined format.
According to this aspect, at the client apparatus, not only the scatter diagram but also the business customer sales information, the territory sales information and
or the own-product-business customer sale information can be displayed by the display device in the predetermined format together with the name of the corresponding business customer. Therefore, the operator such as a salesman can see such information simultaneously or before and after seeing the scatter diagram, which brings a great convenience upon making the marketing strategy.
In this aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, when a point plotted on the scatter diagram is specified, the display device may display information corresponding to the specified point among the obtained information together with the business customer name in the predetermined format.
According to this aspect, when a point plotted on the scatter diagram is specified, the corresponding business customer name is displayed. Thus, the correspondence between each point and each business customer can be promptly grasped, which is very convenient. Further, together with this name of the business customer, the business customer sales information, the territory sales information and
or the own-product-business customer sale information can be displayed in the predetermined format, which is even more convenient.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, when the point plotted on the scatter diagram is specified, the display device displays a map in which a predetermined mark overlaps with a position of the business customer corresponding to the specified point in accordance with a map data.
According to this aspect, when the point plotted on the scatter diagram is specified, a map in which a predetermined mark overlaps with a position of the business customer corresponding to the specified point is displayed in accordance with the map data. Therefore, the operator such as a salesman can see such map simultaneously or before and after seeing the scatter diagram, which brings a great convenience upon making the marketing strategy in relation to the geographical condition.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, the server apparatus is further provided with a fifth file device for storing rough profit information indicative of a rough profit of each business customer in correlation with each business customer, and the third calculating device calculates the sale X1 on the actually sold base in accordance with the rough profit information stored in the fifth file.
According to this aspect, since the rough profit information indicative of the rough profit of each business customer is stored in the fifth file device in correlation with each business customer, it is possible for the server apparatus for easily calculating the sale X1 on the actually sold base by the third calculating device. Such rough profit information may be maintained in the fifth file device by appropriately inputting it through an information input picture plane at the server apparatus.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second marketing strategy support system having a server apparatus and a plurality of client apparatuses which can be connected through a communication device to the server apparatus. The server apparatus is provided with: a first file device for storing business customer sales information indicative of a sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a second file device for storing territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms; a third file device for storing own-product-business customer sale information indicative of a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a first calculating device for calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for an analysis are used as a population, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored in the first file device; a second calculating device for calculating a change rate Y2 to a term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored in the second file device as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population; a third calculating device for calculating a PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d; a fourth file device for storing the calculated PPM parameter Y in correlation with each business customer; an inputting device for inputting master budget data indicative of a master budget M1, which is an annual target sales value of one""s own company, and monthly configuration ratio data indicative of a monthly configuration ratio of the annual target sales value; a fourth calculating device for converting the inputted master budget M1 to a master budget M2 on an actually sold base, on the basis of the own-product-business customer sales information stored in the third file device; a fifth calculating device for distributing the master budget M2 on the actually sold base to each business customer as a business customer budget m2 on an actually sold base, in accordance with the PPM parameter Y stored in the fourth file device; a six calculating device for converting the distributed business customer budget m2 to a business customer budget m1 on a sales base for each business customer; a seventh calculating device for allocating the business customer budget m1 on the sales base to each month for each business customer in accordance with the monthly configuration ratio indicated by the inputted monthly configuration ratio data; a fifth file device for storing individual budget information indicative of the business customer budget m1 distributed to each month in correlation with each business customer; and a server side modem for transmitting the individual budget information stored in the fourth file device, through the communication device to the client apparatus, in response to a request from the client apparatus. Each of the client apparatuses is provided with: a client side modem for obtaining the individual budget information stored in the fourth file device through the communication device and the server side modem; and a display device for displaying the obtained individual budget information in a predetermined format.
According to the second marketing strategy support system of the present invention, at the server apparatus, the business customer sales information indicative of the sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms is stored in the first file device. The territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms is stored in the second file device. The own-product-business customer sale information indicative of the sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms is stored in the third file device.
Then, the deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for the analysis are used as a population, is calculated by the first calculating device, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored in the first file device. The change rate Y2 with respect to the term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored in the second file device (e.g., an annual change rate or an annual growing rate) is calculated by the second calculating device, as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory. Further, the deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population is calculated. Furthermore, the PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d is calculated by the third calculating device. Then, this calculated PPM parameter Y is stored in the fourth file device in correlation with each business customer.
On the other hand, when the master budget data indicative of the master budget M1, which is an annual target sales value of one""s own company and the monthly configuration ratio data indicative of a monthly configuration ratio of the annual target sales value are inputted through the input device, the inputted master budget M1 is converted by the fourth calculating device to a master budget M2 on an actually sold base, on the basis of the own-product-business customer sales information stored in the third file device. Then, the master budget M2 on the actually sold base is distributed to each business customer as a business customer budget m2 on an actually sold base by the fifth calculating device, in accordance with the PPM parameter Y stored in the fourth file device. Next, this distributed business customer budget m2 is converted to a business customer budget m1 on a sales base for each business customer, by the sixth calculating device. Next, the business customer budget m1 on the sales base is allocated to each month for each business customer by the seventh calculating device, in accordance with the monthly configuration ratio indicated by the monthly configuration ratio data, which is inputted through the input device. Then, such individual budget information indicative of the business customer budget m1 distributed to each month is stored in the fifth file device in correlation with each business customer.
After that, in response to a request from the client side modem equipped in one of the client apparatuses, the individual budget information stored in the fourth file device is obtained by this client side modem through the communication device and the server side modem. Then, the obtained individual budget information is displayed in the predetermined format by the display device equipped in this one client apparatus.
Therefore, in accordance with the strength and weakness of the attractiveness of each business customer (e.g., the growing rate at the territory where each shop is located, the capacity of the sales of each shop or each juridical person), it is possible to determine the budget for each business customer objectively and automatically. Thus, the marketing strategy (e.g., a plan for the arrangement of a person, or an investment for various cost such as an exhibition or event) in accordance with the budget for each month and for each business customer determined by the present invention can become the most efficient marketing strategy in a practical sense. Further, in case of changing the master budget M1 in the middle of the account term (i.e., in case of reducing or increasing the budget), it is possible to determine again the individual budget information quite easily. Furthermore, the individual budget information is calculated at the site of the server apparatus. Thus, at the site of each client apparatus, it is possible to just receive the individual budget information, which has been calculated, through the communication device such as the wire or wireless communication line, and display the scatter diagram on the basis of the received information. Accordingly, the burden on each client apparatus is quite small, so that it is possible to promptly display the scatter diagram through the communication device at the site of each client apparatus. In addition, since the individual budget information which has been once calculated by the server apparatus can be commonly utilized by the client apparatuses, it is possible to improve the usage efficiency of the hardware resources, while it is possible to establish the objective marketing strategy on the basis of the same judgment standard at each client apparatus, which is very advantageous in a practical sense. Especially, it is possible to perform a collective process at the site of the server apparatus, as the sales information etc., is kept to be inputted from the same information source.
In the present invention, the budget distribution to each business customer by means of the PPM parameter Y is performed not on the wholesale price base but on the actually sold base. Therefore, it is possible to perform the distribution process as for the sale Y1 for each business customer and the total sales in each territory, which should be essentially on the actually sold base, in the same dimension as the deviation values a and b. However, even if the sale Y1 of each business customer, which should be essentially on the actually sold base, is converted to the value on the wholesale price base and the total sales is converted to the value on the wholesale price base when obtaining the PPM parameter Y, it is also possible to perform such a distribution process in the same dimension. Alternatively, the system may be constructed such that the distribution process is performed on the basis of the PPM parameter on the actually sold base for the master budget M1 on the wholesale price base as it is without matching the dimension in this manner, to thereby perform a rough distribution process while reducing the process burden.
In one aspect of the second marketing strategy support system of the present invention, the inputting device is adapted to distribute as a business customer budget the master budget M1 to one or a plurality of business customers of an analysis non-target among all business customers. The fourth calculating device converts, in place of the inputted master budget M1, a portion M1 other than the business customer budget for the business customer or business customers of the analysis non-target in the master budget M1, to the master budget M2 on the actually sold base. The seventh calculating device allocates one portion of the master budget M1 distributed to the business customer or business customers of the analysis non-target, to each month, in accordance with the monthly configuration ratio indicated by the inputted monthly configuration ratio data.
According to this aspect, the master budget M1 is distributed as a business customer budget by the inputting device to one or a plurality of business customers of an analysis non-target among all business customers. Namely, all business customers selling own company""s product may be the business customer of the analysis. Alternatively, some of the business customers may be preferably eliminated from the analysis target which are not suitable for the analysis in the same dimension such as a mail order business or a special style business. Thus, with respect to the business customer of the analysis non-target, a manual distribution process is performed by the inputting device on the basis of the data on the actually sold base. Then, in this case, in place of the inputted master budget M1, the portion M1xe2x80x2 other than the business customer budget for the business customer or business customers of the analysis non-target in the master budget M1 is converted to the master budget M2 on the actually sold base, by the fourth calculating device. Then, by the seventh calculating device, one portion of the master budget M1 distributed to the business customer or business customers of the analysis non-target is allocated to each month, in accordance with the monthly configuration ratio indicated by the imputted monthly configuration ratio data. In addition, it is preferable to add a flag indicating whether or not each business customer is to be included in the target analysis with respect to the business customer identification information assigned to each business customer in advance, and to appropriately maintain in the server apparatus.
In another aspect of the second marketing strategy support system of the present invention, each of the client apparatuses is further provided with an input device for inputting condition data indicative of a condition of specifying the individual budget information corresponding to a desirable marketing strategy analysis target among the individual budget information stored in the fifth file device. The client side modem transmits the condition data inputted through the input device through the communication device to the server side modem. The server side modem receives the transmitted condition data. The server apparatus is further provided with an extractor for extracting the individual budget information meeting the condition represented by the received condition data from the fifth file device. The server side modem transmits the extracted individual budget information through the communication device to the client side modem. The display device displays the individual budget information received by the client side modem.
According to this aspect, at the site of one of the client apparatuses, the condition data indicative of a condition of specifying the individual budge information, which corresponds to a desirable marketing strategy analysis target among the individual budget information for a plurality of business customers or for a long term, is inputted through the input device. Such an input may be performed by a salesman, who wants to m make an analysis on a desired territory, a desired business customer group, a desired time and the like, as the occasion demands. Then, this condition data inputted through the input device is transmitted by the client side modem through the communication device to the server side modem. The server side modem receives the transmitted condition data. Then, at the site of the server apparatus, this condition data is received by the server side modem. Then, the individual budge information meeting the condition represented by the received condition data is extracted by the extracting device from the fifth file device. Then, the extracted individual budge information is transmitted by the server side modem through the communication device to the client side modem. By receiving this, the individual budget information is displayed by the display device in accordance with the individual budge information received by the client side modem.
Therefore, by appropriately changing the condition specifying the individual budget information to be analyzed for the marketing strategy, it is possible to very easily and promptly display the scatter diagram as for the product group or the business customer group, or as for the territory or the time, which is very convenient.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, at least one of the server apparatus and the plurality of client apparatuses is further provided with a setting device for setting a configuration ratio of the weighted average when the PPM parameter Y is calculated.
According to this aspect, when the PPM parameter Y is calculated, the configuration ratio of the weighted average can be changed by the setting device. By this, it is possible to display the individual budget information with attaching the importance onto the marketing power of each business customer or the individual budget information with attaching the importance onto the growing rate of each business customer according to the intention of the operator.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, the server apparatus is further provided with a sixth file device for storing rough profit information indicative of a rough profit in correlation with each business customer. The fourth calculating device converts the inputted master budget M1 to the master budget M2 on the actually sold base, on the basis of the rough profit information stored in the sixth file device. The six calculating device converts the distributed business customer budget m2 to the business customer budget m1 on the sales base on the basis of the rough profit information stored in the sixth file device.
According to this aspect, the rough profit information indicative of a rough profit is stored in the sixth file device in correlation with each business customer. Thus, it is possible for the fourth calculating device to easily convert the inputted master budget M1 to the master budget M2 on the actually sold base, and also possible for the six calculating device to easily convert the distributed business customer budget m2 to the business customer budget m1 on the sales base. Such rough information may be calculated on the basis of the sales information or marketing profit information on the aforementioned statement of account etc., for example, or may be obtained by actually inquiring and investigating. Further, such rough information may be appropriately inputted through information input picture plane to thereby maintain the sixth file device.
In another aspect of the first marketing strategy support system of the present invention, when obtaining at least one of the business customer sales information, the territory sales information and the own-product-business customer sale information which are respectively stored in the first, second and third file devices through the communication device, the display device displays the obtained information together with a name of a business customer corresponding to the obtained information in a predetermined format.
According to this aspect, at the client apparatus, not only the individual budget information but also the business customer sales information, the territory sales information and
or the own-product-business customer sale information can be displayed by the display device in the predetermined format together with the name of the corresponding business customer. Therefore, the operator such as a salesman can see such information simultaneously or before and after seeing the individual budget information, which brings a great convenience upon making the marketing strategy. Especially, the plan and achievement management can be made easy, by displaying the individual budget information for each business customer and for each month simultaneously with the achievement information (e.g., the business customer sales information) and, more preferably, by arranging them (e.g., arranging or superimposing it by a bar graph etc., for each month).
In another aspect of the first or second marketing strategy support system of the present invention, the first calculating device calculates, in accordance with product ratio information indicative of a ratio of a sales values of a specific product group with respect to a total sales value for each business customer in addition to the business customer sales information stored in the first file device, the deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of a specific product group sale Y1xe2x80x2, which is obtained by multiplying the sale Y1 with the ratio of the sales values of the specific product group for each business customer, in place of the sale Y1.
According to this aspect, in accordance with the business customer sales information indicative of the specific product group sale Y1xe2x80x2 as for the specific product group in place of all the products dealt with by each business customer, the deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the specific product group sale Y1xe2x80x2, in which all business customers targeted for the analysis are used as a population, is calculated. Then, the PPM parameter Y indicative of the attractiveness of each business customer is calculated as the weighted average of thus calculated deviation values a and b. Therefore, by the display device at the client apparatus, it is possible to display the scatter diagram or the individual budget information, to which the specific product group corresponding to the marketing target of own company is more precisely reflected.
In another aspect of the first or second marketing strategy support system of the present invention, the server apparatus is further provided with a taking-in device for taking-in the business customer sales information through the communication device from an information source, in which the business customer sales information is accumulated. The third file device updates a content thereof by the taken-in business customer sales information.
According to this aspect, it is possible by the taking-in device to take-in the new business customer sales information promptly. By this, it is possible to update the business customer sales information stored in the third file device by the new information without delay. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the scatter diagram and the individual budget information based on the newest information.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a third marketing strategy support system provided with: a first file device for storing business customer sales information indicative of a sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a second file device for storing territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms; a third file device for storing own-product-business customer sale information indicative of a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a first calculating device for calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for an analysis are used as a population, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored in the first file device; a second calculating device for calculating a change rate Y2 to a term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored in the second file device as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population; a third calculating device for calculating a PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d; a fourth file device for storing the calculated PPM parameter Y in correlation with each business customer; an inputting device for inputting master budget data indicative of a master budget M1, which is an annual target sales value of one""s own company, and monthly configuration ratio data indicative of a monthly configuration ratio of the annual target sales value; a fourth calculating device for converting the inputted master budget M1 to a master budget M2 on an actually sold base, on the basis of the own-product-business customer sales information stored in the third file device; a fifth calculating device for distributing the master budget M2 on the actually sold base to each business customer as a business customer budget m2 on an actually sold base, in accordance with the PPM parameter Y stored in the fourth file device; a six calculating device for converting the distributed business customer budget m2 to a business customer budget m1 on a sales base for each business customer; a seventh calculating device for allocating the business customer budget m1 on the sales base to each month for each business customer in accordance with the monthly configuration ratio indicated by the inputted monthly configuration ratio data; and a fifth file device for storing individual budget information indicative of the business customer budget m1 distributed to each month in correlation with each business customer.
Namely, the third marketing strategy support system has only the server apparatus of the above described second marketing strategy support system of the present invention, which is sufficiently useful to collectively perform the budget distribution for each business customers or each month at the server apparatus, without the client apparatus.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes for transmitting PPM parameters Y and X to a plurality of client apparatuses, each of which is connectable to the server apparatus through a communication device and is provided with (i) a client side modem for obtaining the PPM parameters Y and X through the communication device and (ii) a display device for displaying a scatter diagram in which the obtained PPM parameters Y and X are plotted on X-Y coordinates. The method processes include: a first file process of storing business customer sales information indicative of a sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a second file process of storing territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms; a third file process of storing own-product-business customer sale information indicative of a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a first calculating process of calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for an analysis are used as a population, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored by the first file process; a second calculating process of calculating a change rate Y2 to a term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored by the second file process as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population; a third calculating process of calculating a sale X1 on an actually sold base corresponding to a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer in accordance with the own-product-business customer sale information stored by the third file process, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d of the sale X1 in each business customer, in which the all business customers are used as a population; a fourth calculating process of calculating a change rate X2 to a term of the sale X1 as an index indicative of a growth of a selling power in each business customer, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d of the change rate X2 in each business customer, in which the all business customers are used as a population; a fifth calculating process of calculating a PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d, and also calculating a PPM parameter X indicative of one""s own company""s strength of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d; a fourth file process of storing the calculated PPM parameters Y and X in correlation with each business customer; and a transmitting process of transmitting the PPM parameters Y and X stored by the fourth file process, through the communication device to the client apparatus, in response to a request from the client apparatus.
According to the first program storage device of the present invention, as the computer reads in and executes the program stored therein, it is possible to realize the above described first marketing strategy support system of the present invention on the computer.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes for transmitting individual business customer budget information to a plurality of client apparatuses, each of which is connectable to the server apparatus through a communication device and is provided with (i) a client side modem for obtaining the individual business customer information through the communication device and (ii) a display device for displaying the obtained individual business customer budget information in a predetermined format. The method processes include: a first file process of storing business customer sales information indicative of a sale Y1 of each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a second file process of storing territory sales information indicative of total sales in each territory with regard to at least two proximate terms; a third file process of storing own-product-business customer sale information indicative of a sale of one""s own company""s product to each business customer with regard to at least two proximate terms; a first calculating process of calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the sale Y1 in each business customer, in which all business customers targeted for an analysis are used as a population, in accordance with the business customer sales information stored by the first file process; a second calculating process of calculating a change rate Y2 to a term of the total sales in each territory indicated by the territory sales information stored by the second file process as an index indicative of a growth of a total buying power in each territory, and also calculating a deviation value xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of the change rate Y2 in each territory, in which all territories targeted for the analysis are used as a population; a third calculating process of calculating a PPM parameter Y indicative of an attractiveness of each business customer as a weighted average of the deviation values xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d; a fourth file process of storing the calculated PPM parameter Y in correlation with each business customer; an inputting process of inputting master budget data indicative of a master budget M1, which is an annual target sales value of one""s own company, and monthly configuration ratio data indicative of a monthly configuration ratio of the annual target sales value; a fourth calculating process of converting the inputted master budget M1 to a master budget M2 on an actually sold base, on the basis of the own-product-business customer sales information stored by the third file process; a fifth calculating process of distributing the master budget M2 on the actually sold base to each business customer as a business customer budget m2 on an actually sold base, in accordance with the PPM parameter Y stored by the fourth file process; a six calculating process of converting the distributed business customer budget m2 to a business customer budget m1 on a sales base for each business customer; a seventh calculating process of allocating the business customer budget m1 on the sales base to each month for each business customer in accordance with the monthly configuration ratio indicated by the inputted monthly configuration ratio data; a fifth file process of storing individual budget information indicative of the business customer budget m1 distributed to each month in correlation with each business customer; and a transmitting process for transmitting the individual budget information stored by the fourth file process, through the communication device to the client apparatus, in response to a request from the client apparatus.
According to the second program storage device of the present invention, as the computer reads in and executes the program stored therein, it is possible to realize the above described second marketing strategy support system of the present invention on the computer.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform method processes for transmitting PPM parameters Y and X to a plurality of client apparatuses, each of which is connectable to the server apparatus through a communication device and is provided with (i) a client side modem for obtaining the PPM parameters Y and X through the communication device and (ii) a display device for displaying a scatter diagram in which the obtained PPM parameters Y and X are plotted on X-Y coordinates. The method processes include: the first file process, the second file process, the third file process, the first calculating process, the second calculating process, the third calculating process, the fourth calculating process, the fifth calculating process, the fourth file process, and the transmitting process in the above described first program storage device of the present invention.
According to the first computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave of the present invention, as the computer downloads and executes the program in the computer data signal, it is possible to realize the above described first marketing strategy support system of the present invention on the computer.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform method processes for transmitting individual business customer budget information to a plurality of client apparatuses, each of which is connectable to the server apparatus through a communication device and is provided with (i) a client side modem for obtaining the individual business customer information through the communication device and (ii) a display device for displaying the obtained individual business customer budget information in a predetermined format. The method processes include the first file process, the second file process, the third file process, the first calculating process, the second calculating process, the third calculating process, the fourth file process, the inputting process, the fourth calculating process, the fifth calculating process, the six calculating process, the seventh calculating process, the fifth file process, and the transmitting process in the above described second program storage device of the present invention.
According to the second computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave of the present invention, as the computer downloads and executes the program in the computer data signal, it is possible to realize the above described second marketing strategy support system of the present invention on the computer.